For the past two years, Grishma’s life revolved around the memories of her late father, who lost his battle to post-Covid infections, mere four days after she returned from Bhubaneswar with a sixth-place finish at the junior nationals in 2022.

“A couple of days after I returned from Bhubaneswar, my father had to be admitted to the hospital due to Covid-related complications. We weren’t ready for the worst situation and thought he would recover. However, fate had something else written for us,” said an emotional Grishma, who is a 10th standard student in a local school.

“It (last two years) has been the toughest phase of my career so far. Every time, I go for training or start doing anything the memories of my father keep flashing in front of me. I was mentally shattered, deep inside there’s a void that’s hard to be filled. I couldn’t focus on anything,” she said.

“My father worked in a chocolate factory, and he was the sole bread-earner in the family. It has been tough (financially) but my mother has somehow managed to manage the family with her limited income,” she added.

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Her mother has taken up the job of a caretaker in an Anganwadi centre in Thane and has to fund the education of Grishma as well as her twin sister.

Before this edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, Grishma had finished sixth and fourth, respectively in Panchkula and Indore and was struggling to motivate herself. But she managed to turn things around and won the bronze medal at the junior nationals earlier this month in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

“My coach Madhuri Sinhasane has been instrumental in helping me come out of the distressed phase, and I’m grateful to her for being with me throughout this challenging period,” she said.

Motivated by the back-to-back podium finishes this month, Grishma is now eying a top podium finish at the upcoming Under-17 School Games in Patna, in March.